MILAN, Italy -- The eni
slurry technology (EST) project at the Italian energy
majors Sannazzaro de Burgondi refinery will result in an increase
of 5% in middle distillates production (diesel) and a decrease
of 3.5% of fuel oil output, a company vice president said on
Thursday.

The EST project - further details of
which can be read here - will be complete
once the Sannazzaro plant is in full operation, projected in the first half of
2013.

The 23,000 bpd
unit will be enis first industrial-size
plant based on slurry technology, said Francesco Misuraca,
who spoke at the IRPC 2012 conference in Milan.

Eni began research activities on slurry technology in the
early 1990s, he said, and led to the construction of the San Donato
Milanese pilot plant from 1999 through 2002.

Next was a 1,200 bpd commercial demonstration plant at the
eni Taranto refinery. That unit came online in
2005.

From there, the company became comfortable enough with the
technology and the economics to progress to building the
industrial plant, he said.

This new process allows for the deepest
hydroconversion of the bottom of the barrel, said
Misuraca, who credited the invention to enis research and development
(R&D) team.